Welsh regions sign BT deal

BT Sport has agreed a new sponsorship deal with the four Welsh Regions - the Scarlets, Ospreys, Cardiff Blues and Newport Gwent Dragons.

BT Sport has agreed a new sponsorship deal with the four Welsh Regions - the Scarlets, Ospreys, Cardiff Blues and Newport Gwent Dragons.

The new multi-million pound agreement over three years is the largest joint sponsorship in the history of the four Regions and signals an exciting future partnership ahead between the successful broadcaster and Welsh regional rugby.

The partnership will include a commitment to community development programmes in Wales that will see BT working closely with the Regions to link the Welsh national sport and its rugby role models with technology, education and community investment in sport.

The deal sees the BT Sport logo appear on three Welsh Regions' jerseys for the next three seasons; on the front of the home and away shirts to be worn by Scarlets and Newport Gwent Dragons and on the front of the Ospreys' home shirt and the back of their away kit, with the front of the Ospreys' away shirt already secured with another partner.

As a key sponsor, BT Sport's brand will feature prominently in all the Welsh regions home grounds, within community activity and in regional rugby marketing materials.

And for the first time, the Cardiff Blues have agreed naming rights for their iconic home ground - now to be known as "BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park". The Cardiff Blues shirt sponsorship continues with Airbus Group (previously EADS), with BT Sport becoming kit sponsor to Cardiff Blues Women's Rugby.

BT Sport already sponsors Scottish clubs Edinburgh and Glasgow in the RaboDirect Pro12 and the latest expansion of the broadcaster's Celtic connections demonstrates its ongoing commitment to supporting the growth of club rugby in the UK.

It has successfully broadcast this season's Aviva Premiership and will share coverage of the new European Rugby Champions Cup with Sky Sports in a landmark deal announced in March 2014.

The Four Welsh Regions have a collective turnover approaching Â£30m per annum, with a direct economic contribution to Wales in excess of Â£50m per annum.

They provide employment for almost 1,000 people in a combination of full-time, part-time and casual roles including over 600 professional and semi-professional rugby players and more than 50 highly skilled coaching, conditioning and medical staff.